Is this a bad idea?

gogadgetgo

I'm looking for a part time occasional babysitter for the boys for this fall when I'm taking classes. One of my friends, whose dd is the same age as C, is a professional chef. I know she's in between jobs right now and I was thinking of asking her if she wanted to be considered to babysit the boys. She's great with her dd and we have very similar parenting styles.

Good idea? Bad idea?

Eta: I'd pay her the same as the other sitters. This wouldn't be a freebie thing.

Babi2comingSoon2014

i dont see why it would be a bad idea, worst that would happen is she might decline.

gogadgetgo

Thanks. Before I talked to DH about it, I wanted to make sure it didn't sound like a totally ridiculous idea.

Mysterious_wife

Bad idea. I think mixing business with pleasure is always a no no to me. If something goes wrong or if she gets annoyed with the boys it can end badly.

MrsRustyGriswold

Mysterious_wife said:

Bad idea. I think mixing business with pleasure is always a no no to me. If something goes wrong or if she gets annoyed with the boys it can end badly.

This.  The unknowns are just too much for me.  I try very hard not to mix.

gogadgetgo

MrsRustyGriswold said:

Mysterious_wife said:

Bad idea. I think mixing business with pleasure is always a no no to me. If something goes wrong or if she gets annoyed with the boys it can end badly.

This.  The unknowns are just too much for me.  I try very hard not to mix.

That's what I figured the negatives to be. Thanks for that perspective!

jckeown89

I can see both sides of the coin. It isn't a ridiculous idea at all. Definitely talk to DH about it. I am sure he will be able to provide insight that we can't because we don't know your relationship with this friend.

bugandbibs

I would worry she might be offended.

gogadgetgo

bugandbibs said:

I would worry she might be offended.

I only thought to offer because she offered to watch a mutual friend's kid who was in a daycare bind. Just throwing out ideas, you know

bugandbibs

gogadgetgo said:

I would worry she might be offended.

I only thought to offer because she offered to watch a mutual friend's kid who was in a daycare bind. Just throwing out ideas, you know

In that case I think you could ask as a short term thing. I was worried she would think you didn't respect her chosen career and the training involved. Some of my unemployed friends are really touchy about this.

gogadgetgo

@bugandbibs absolutely not. She's an amazing chef who has worked her ass off for some crazy people. I would never ask if I thought it would be insulting to her!

ash273uk

I'm unemployed, and I've had several friends ask me to babysit. I've taken most of them up on the offers if I was available. Personally, I appreciate that they know that I am in a bind and rather than pay someone else to watch their children, they could pay a trusted friend who needs the money anyway. Everyone wins.